Cauliflower Soup with Bacon, Garlic & Goat Cheese is lunch time quick . Pair it with a crisp, green salad or crisp crusted rolls for a more filling meal. It also makes a nice, light appetizer when served in small portions and garnished with green onion slices. One of the great things about cauliflower is how well it takes on the flavors of other ingredients. In this case, the tangy goat cheese adds an interesting and delicious dimension to the finished result. If you want more robust flavors, roast the cauliflower and onion before blending. The flavor will be more complex, but be aware the soup will take on a darker brown color as a result. Goat cheese is a good source of protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. The fatty acids found in goat's milk have antibacterial ... [Read More]
Quick and easy
Tuscan Chicken Rice Bowl
A delicious meal, ready to eat in about 30 minutes. You can assemble from scratch which may take a just a few minutes longer at cooking time or freeze ahead of time, thaw overnight and have it ready in a flash for a healthy work night meal. Add a quick salad of spring greens, feta cheese, a few walnuts and blueberries. Look for chicken breast fillets as they are about half an inch thick and will cook quickly and evenly. Most stores will carry them, but if you don't find them make your own fillets. With a sharp knife slice a chicken breast lengthwise into half inch pieces. Look for chopped mushrooms if you have a "fungus-phobe" like Bytes at your house. He'll eat chopped mushrooms with little comment, but objects to the bigger pieces. (We're making progress with that -- lol!) ... [Read More]
Peanut Butter Banana Bars
What do you do with a bag of bananas? Make Peanut Butter Banana Bars! Last time I was at the neighborhood grocery by my sister's house, they had just set out bags of perfect golden yellow bananas. I brought one of the bags home with me. I made Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream and Banana Strawberry Blueberry Smoothies earlier. Peanut Butter Banana Bars were quick and easy to make, no added sugar. Except in the chocolate chips and you could make those sugar free to if you wanted. Or you could substitute chopped walnuts or peanuts instead. The peanut butter adds flavor, but it also gives a nice boost of healthy fat and protein, making the Peanut Butter Banana Bars even more filling and satisfying as a snack or dessert. The mixture will be rather wet, but that is what prevents these ... [Read More]
Butter Fluff Cookies
I liked this recipe for Butter Fluff Cookies because it includes butter and cream cheese and tastes like a rich,fluffy cloud. It is also quick and easy and you can vary it in so many ways. Like this: Variation 1 - 3: Rolled in red sanding sugar before baking, green and red sprinkles mixed into the dough before baking, rolled in tiny green candy balls before baking. Variation 4: Add mini Chocolate chips. (Variation 5 not pictured - Heath Toffee Bits) Variation 6: Chopped walnuts (pecans, almonds also good!) Why did I try variations? Because when I first tasted the mixed cookie dough, I thought it needed pizazz. So I pizazzed. And when I was finished, guess what was my favorite? The plain fluffy cloud. Seconded quite closely by the chopped walnut -- cuz I like ... [Read More]
Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Crisps
Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Crisps are quick, easy and quite straightforward to make. You’ll be glad you made these! Tips for less experienced bakers: Let the butter soften until room temperature by letting it set on the counter for 30-60 minutes ahead of time. Cutting the stick of butter into slices will help it warm faster. OR do the microwave cheat, put in the microwave at 50% power for 15-20 seconds. Room temperature butter will almost “take your fingerprint” when pressed with an index finger. The butter will still be firm enough to resist your touch, but soft enough to leave the imprint of your finger. If you press and your finger actually sinks into the butter – too soft. Be sure to pack the brown sugar – that is, press it tightly into the half cup measure until it is level ... [Read More]
Savory Sweet Potatoes
Rich, creamy mashed sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish for any holiday meal. They are so quick and easy , you’ll want to enjoy them throughout the year. Sweet potatoes are as nutritious as they are delicious. They contain fewer calories and are higher in fiber, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C than their white counterparts. See the infographic from Cleveland Clinic below for a quick comparison. You can peel and cut the sweet potatoes in small, uniform cubes before adding to water for boiling. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from heat and drain. OR you can put whole, and thoroughly washed, sweet potatoes in a medium to large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from ... [Read More]
